


Death and the Angels

by LilahLuck



Category: Avenged Sevenfold, Fearless Vampire Killers (Band), My Chemical Romance
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:06:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2711702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilahLuck/pseuds/LilahLuck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two rival vampire gangs, one band of vampire hunters and a whole lot of mess inbetween....let the games begin</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The woman at the bar was on her third drink and it wasn’t helping.  
She was bored, horribly and utterly bored and the alcohol was having little effect to change it. This bar was like so many others, noisy and dark but punctuated by flashes of bright strobe and the pounding beat of some latest tune that seemed to excite the kids on the dance floor but did little for her. It was crass but sexual, kind of like the man trying to chat her up over the din, his eyes never leaving her cleavage.  
Lily knew what he wanted, they always wanted the same thing and yet had no idea that the attraction they felt was a trap and they were merely food. She would look stunning to them, her hair a dark cascade of curls down her back, her eyes a deep brown that was almost black against her pale skin. Hypnotic and beautiful yes, a honeytrap all the same. Her smile never showed the fangs until it was too late and after four hundred years she was pretty much the ultimate hunter. A vampire in a world that had tried to tame her kind into pretty fiction and naïve hope while never seeing the brutal truth that walked among them.  
Lily was still bored until something caught her eye.  
The man continued to prattle and she half smiled, nodding as if interested but now on alert. Through the crowd she had spotted something or rather someone and he was captivating. She turned a little more, the man stood against the back wall near the door with an easy grace that betrayed him as one of her own. He was alone it seemed, dressed in black that highlighted the pale skin, his black hair just touching his collar. Already there was a drink in his hand, Lily realised now that he wasn’t alone as the other man came through the door behind him. This one was a vampire too, taller and skinny, his face set in a blank stare, almost sullen. They conferred briefly and Lily watched them walk to a booth in the corner.  
A slight smile settled across her features and she turned back to her date, stopping short as she realised the man in front of her was definitely not the same one she had been talking to. He was tall, muscled and tattooed with a smirk that just begged to be slapped off his face. The angular cheekbones lead up to sparkling hazel eyes and now Lily did smile.  
“His name is Gerard Way, the other man is his brother Mikey. They are in control of the east side. Powerful old coven that one. You are ?”  
Lily sipped her drink, the voice was soft and she knew one of the old families when they were in front of her despite him being dressed like all the other metal heads in the bar. The whiskey warmed her, their conversation with each other easy despite the noise thanks to excellent hearing and acute senses. The predators might seem equal but Lily knew she would not cross this one without a serious back up plan.  
“Lily. New in town and I could ask you the same thing. Are you part of his gang ?”  
“My name is Syn and no, I run with Shadows on the west side.”  
Lily made a point of looking him up and down, another vampire appearing at his side as the Way brothers looked towards them. The newcomer was shorter, his hair falling in bangs over the most amazing green eyes Lily had ever seen. A mind reader obviously, she could feel him in her head and blocked everything that might land her in difficulty. It was important that they didn’t find out who she was exactly just yet.  
Even vampires frowned upon killing each other.  
Lily blocked the thought from her mind, the bitches had deserved it for being old and too stupid to survive in the modern world. Yes the humans had written her kind into their world as cuddly and romantic and unthreatening but that didn’t mean that there weren’t hunters out there and one close call too many had pissed her off. There were now eight dead vampires and probably a bounty on her pretty head that the two pretty boys didn’t need to know about. Lily turned up the smile and nodded towards the newcomer.  
“And you are ?”  
“Zacky…blocking me is impressive, most of our kind can’t.”  
Lily merely turned, her back now to the bar as she raised her glass to the men on the other side of the room. Gerard returned the gesture, his brother remaining impassive as the rest of the bar moved around them in what seemed like slow motion. She noted that there was a tense but friendly air between these men, something that called to the worst of her. Lily thrived on chaos and these two groups felt to her as if they were on the boundary of a war. It was intoxicating, there was such heat and power coming from both camps and she struggled to focus as she turned back to Syn. He was beautiful and she felt the familiar tug of desire, she wanted him.  
“I am immune to a lot of things our kind usually aren’t. Your gangs at war here ?”  
Syn smiled, she was everything he wanted in his own kind. There was a glint of something more than evil in her eyes and the black dress accented every line and curve of her body. He could hear Zacky laughing in his head, telling him to watch his back around this one but it wasn’t going to help. The fact that Gerard was looking at her with hungry eyes too just made it worse.  
He was going to have her and Way could just fucking watch.  
“No, we keep to our own sides of town and my buddy Matt is good friends with Gerard there. We hunt away from each other and it all works well.”  
Lily nodded slowly, she could tell that wasn’t quite true but he was closer, his fingers almost touching her arm and she badly wanted to run her hand through the messy Mohican. He was dangerous, it was coming off him in waves and it made her wet. Zacky could see that something was going to happen between these two, Syn’s mind was positively x-rated already but he was more concerned with what this woman was doing in their neighbourhood. Young vampires wandered, the more experienced tended to make a home and blend in.   
“If you need a place to crash we have some good digs underground near here.”  
Lily felt herself drawn back to the pretty man leaning against Syn’s shoulder and smiled. It wouldn’t do to pick a side just yet until she had seen just what was going on. She tried to wipe out the vision of being naked between the two men and signalled for another drink.  
“Thanks, I’m staying with a friend. The night is young though and I want to dance.”  
She downed the whiskey in one, leaving them to watch as she moved between the humans, her hips swaying to the beat as she made sure that Gerard could now get a better look at her. They locked eyes and she gasped, it was rare to meet someone older than she was these days and he radiated both power and control, a true dominant was even rarer. The younger brother was intriguing, he watched Lily too but there was something cruel in the pretty face that made her watchful. Neither made a move, content to see her dance and form some opinions of their own. Gerard recognised a powerful enemy or a formidable ally and Mikey was murmuring in his ear that he recognised her from somewhere. He also knew that his brother would enjoy taking her from Syn just to prove a point.   
Lily smiled to herself, it had been a long time since she had been caught between wanting two men this badly, she could feel him closing in as Syn came up behind her, his hands on her waist as he moved to the music and the rhythm of her body. He was pressed against her, his teeth grazing her neck and Lily was forced to bite back a moan. Gerard merely smiled, his eyes locked on hers as Zacky and Mikey exchanged cold stares from across the room. There were some amongst the patrons that knew of the growing animosity between the rival gangs and already the barkeep had phoned Matt, not wanting an open war provoked on his turf. Synyster Gates was a hothead, he wanted war and this woman could provoke it.  
Zacky felt the tap on his shoulder and hissed, the barman cringing away as he handed the cellphone over before scurrying to the other end of the bar. Zacky knew who it would be and why, a smile flashing across his boyish features as he answered. The human prey always went to him so easily, his grace and full lips made him seem harmless although he was anything but and now the girls giggled and blushed, rising his hunger as he spoke to his friend and leader.  
“Hey Matt.”  
“What the fuck is he doing now ? I told you guys, no fucking about with Way.”  
“A very pretty distraction walked in. One of us and powerful as fuck.”  
Matt groaned, he had plans on how to handle his rivals and Gates losing his mind over a woman was not included. He considered sending Johnny and Jimmy down there to break it up before realising that it would probably make it worse. Zacky waited patiently, smiling at the girls again and looking forward to ripping them apart the minute they went outside. He knew that letting his buddy leave with Lily would be a bad idea even as he watched them dancing together, the dance now bordering on graphic making out.   
“Tell him to get back here and no, she isn’t invited. Could be fucking anybody and the last thing we want is trouble before we’re ready.”  
“You got it.”  
Zacky cut the connection and focused on Syn, relaying Matt’s instruction to his friend and seeing the annoyance before he turned away from Lily, a whispered apology and promise to see her again his last words. Lily herself kissed him then, the forceful press of her lips against his almost broke him before Syn finally broke away with a grin. She went back to dancing, watching the two vampires leave before turning back around and finding herself face to face with Gerard Way.  
Up close he was devastating, the full lips and sensual eyes roaming up and down her body as Lily didn’t let the beat drop. It was a challenge to him, a very personal one and he didn’t disappoint, one hand reaching to run cold fingers down her cheekbones. Again she felt the thrill of danger and thanked her lucky stars for deciding to stop off here rather than just move on.  
“I guess you know who I am but who are you ?”  
“Lily. Interesting little rivalry going on here if I’m not mistaken.”  
Gerard giggled, the sound made her heady with attraction for the second time in half an hour. He was almost fragile looking compared to Syn but the power radiating off him told her that he could rip a man in half with his bare hands. She considered her options, again torn between acting on her desire or keeping her options open. He watched her closely, the slightest smile on his face.  
“You know how we are, our kind rarely co-exist in a friendly way for long. Are you staying in town ?”  
“In the short term yes.”  
Mikey appeared next to him, surprising Lily by kissing her hand. For a moment she was between the brothers and it was intoxicating. The younger one was clearly hungry, his gaze almost frightening before Gerard kissed her lips and stroke a hand down her hair before pulling his brother away.  
“Then we will see you again soon.”  
Lily watched them walk away and wandered back to the bar deep in thought. It was obviously dangerous to stay around here if her secret got out but it was also the most excitement she had had in decades. Two more whiskeys later she walked to the door and out into the midnight air ready to hunt and then think on it some more. One gang or the other….a smile crossed her face as she walked into the darkness and became one with it.


	2. Chapter 2

“You can scream if you want, it really isn’t going to help you.”  
The young man tried anyway, a shrill piercing shriek that ended abruptly as his throat was ripped out. Lily really wasn’t in the mood to take her time and enjoyed the hot sweet rush of blood that was tinged with fear and just the faintest hint of indignation. The two men had expected an easy bag snatch in the darkened park and instead found that they had been played. Now one was dead and drained, Lily dropping him to the floor before turning to the man in her other fist with a slight smirk.   
“How about you ? A screamer or….”  
“Please, please let me go, please oh fuck, oh fuck, please !”  
The moonlight made her eyes even more black as she regarded the crying boy with something approaching distaste. The screamers always tasted better and she was still hungry. The attractive vampires were still in her head and the desire to feed and fuck had got a little mixed up in there, his begging would only make it worse. She pondered just going back and finding one or other of them as the meal continued to scream and plead. She ignored him, his struggles not really registering despite the fact that he towered over her and weighed at least five stone more. It was as inconsequential as a bug fluttering in her hand.  
In fact it was only experience and a sixth sense that had saved Lily before that made her half turn, the hand not holding the man easily catching the crossbow bolt before it could bury itself in her back. Lily snarled, throwing it back at the nervous looking boy with the crossbow with enough strength to send him flying backwards as it impaled itself in his shoulder. Four others were with him, all of them nervously now brandishing weapons and advancing, although one immediately dropped by his fallen comrade.  
“Let him go !”  
The apparent leader stepped forward, Lily taking a moment to appreciate that he was young and pretty with red hair. His blood sang to her and for a moment she considered swapping the boy for the man in her grip before deciding that it would be more fun to test them out. Hunters were usually smarter, the naïve winding up dead long before they took on an elder such as herself. She sent him a wicked grin, noting that his dark haired friend had retrieved the crossbow before burying her fangs into the man’s neck and letting the blood gush down her throat. They all seemed to flinch at the snap of neck bones before the second corpse of the night wound up at her feet.  
“Or what exactly ? Run along children, I am not in the mood to fight.”  
The crossbow moved towards her again and this time Lily simply stepped forward quicker than they could see. The redheaded boy found himself lifted off his feet, her fingers icy cold around his throat as he gagged and kicked. Instantly the others skidded back a few paces and regrouped as she looked again at the dark haired man. Of all of them he didn’t seem scared, the one that she had disabled with the bolt looked pale and sick in the arms of a younger man with sandy hair. The last was tall and bearded, hefting an axe but looking at his friend before making a move. Lily smiled, shaking the boy a little.  
“What’s his name ? And yours ?”  
The man hesitated but could see that his friend was fighting to stay conscious. This wasn’t how their first few attempts at hunting had gone and now he had the feeling he was out of his depth. Pulling himself up he looked the vampire in the eye, trying to ignore the beauty and see the monster underneath.  
“His name is Kier. I’m Laurence.”  
“Well Laurence, Kier is in a bit of a predicament now isn’t he ? Never attack a vampire when they’re in the middle of a meal, its rude. Oh and who’s the one that smells so good ?”  
Lily waved Kier at the boy on the floor who immediately squeaked and Laurence stepped between them. He was curiously unafraid but desperate to get Kier back in one piece before they tried attacking the vampire again. He tried to paint on a friendly smile, knowing that if he could get the crossbow to Luke they might have a shot.  
“That’s Shane, his boyfriend Drew and the big guy is Luke. First time I’ve ever talked with a vampire.”  
Kier struggled, the blackness in his head combining with lack of air was really starting to hurt and he had begun to think Laurence was forgetting the seriousness of the situation. Foolishly they had been blasé about their target after taking on a large angry vampire and winning the week before. This slip of a girl had seemed a soft target but he had forgotten just how strong and fast they could be. He now prayed that he wouldn’t pay for it with his life.  
“Her name is Lily. I’ve been watching you for a week now and you are so not ready to take her on just yet. I didn’t expect to see you here, I thought you were in Europe.”  
All heads had turned to the beautiful redhead that was now calmly walking through the hunters and up to the vampire. Lily blinked, she had really not expected to see Claire either and in her surprise she dropped Kier, his surprised grunt bringing Laurence to his senses. He grabbed his friend who was coughing and retching and pulled him out of harm’s way as the two women stared at each other, the vampire fighting back a smile.  
“Hello Claire. I got bored in Europe, fatally bored. I didn’t expect to see you either.”  
Claire returned the smile, hers with more of an edge to it. This city was already on the brink of a war and the last thing it needed was the queen of chaos to walk right into it. Gerard had mentioned the name and she had immediately come out to find out whether it was really her former friend. Now she could see that is was and if anything even more powerful than before.  
“You met a friend of mine. I had to come and say hi. What do you want Lily ?”  
There was a hint of irritation in the soft voice and Lily was instantly taken back to her beginnings. She had lived a simple life in the mid 1560’s, expecting nothing more than to marry her childhood sweetheart, a sweet and kind young man called Frank. It had been Claire with her mix of natural beauty and witchcraft that had put paid to that. Within a year she had taken Frank from Lily and married him, forcing Lily to leave the village and head for town, broken hearted and furious. Straight into the arms of a vampire as it happened. He had seen the ferocity and been amused by it, too late realising that his new paramour had no intention of being his bitch. One dead vampire later Lily had returned home and turned Frank out of pure spite. That memory burned now as she smiled back.  
“I am looking for some fun and I found it. How’s Frank ?”  
“He’s fine, he and Gerard have a good thing going here so don’t think about fucking around with it.”  
Claire couldn’t resist the glare that now twisted her features. She had never regretted falling in love with the amazing man that had been her lover for so many centuries and she was now just about the most powerful witch living. She could tell that Lily wanted Gerard, his mind was full of it and it was not going to happen. Having Lily team up with the opposition would almost be worse, so far Claire had kept on friendly terms with both camps but adding another party to the mix would be disastrous. Lily could see the fury there and was amused, deciding that a tactical retreat would be better until she could figure out how to proceed. She had her own reasons for caution, Frank was probably still pissed at her.  
“As if. Enjoy your pets.”  
Lily blew a kiss at Kier who was trying to stem the bleeding from Shane’s shoulder, all the men almost forgotten in the confrontation. She disappeared back into the dark and Claire looked at them, almost irritated. Training hunters had become a fun hobby and she used them to control the numbers in town, Frank turning a blind eye as long as it didn’t mess with his and Gerard’s plans. It didn’t do to have too many of their kind causing trouble, it might catch the attention of the more capable hunters such as the one who was supposed to be guiding these young men.  
“I thought you were told to be careful.”  
Laurence waved a crucifix at her which Claire batted away, kneeling next to the injured boy and inspecting the arrow that had gone straight through his pale flesh. It was a nasty wound and he was in danger of dying of blood loss. She smiled reassuringly at Shane before muttering a few words and sliding the arrow free.   
“Shit !”  
“Relax and calm down. I’m a witch, not a vampire.”  
Laurence and Kier leaned in, Drew hanging onto Shane for dear life as they watched the terrible wound close under her fingers. Luke had taken the crossbow and carefully aimed it into the darkness, not liking how the evening had panned out at all. They would be in trouble for coming out tonight anyway and now they seemed to have been saved by something equally as otherworldly as a vampire. Claire pressed the blood soaked shirt back against his shoulder and tied it off, helping Shane to his feet and looking at all of them.  
“There is a war coming. One which all of you will be lucky to survive if you don’t get better at this faster. Do you want my help or not ?”  
They stared at the woman, her red hair now glinting in the moonlight. It wasn’t a nice thought that they might all die but none of them wanted to end up as a vampire’s lunch either. Kier and Laurence nodded, Luke quick to join them. Only Shane and Drew looked a little more afraid and in awe at the witch, somehow sensing the power in her. Still not much of a choice and they all followed her back towards home, glad to have survived the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Frank didn’t look up as Claire slipped into the room.   
He was sitting in a large black leather armchair near the fire, a cigarette in one hand as he read the evening paper and waited for her to return. He had assumed the same as Claire when Lily’s name was mentioned and had been forced to share some of his past that he would rather have remained hidden. He had been running with the Way boys for three centuries but he knew they had as many secrets as he did. The boy in the chair looked young with his black hair pushed back from his eyes, only those eyes giving away the centuries he had lived.  
“Was it her ?”  
“Of course, you know how drawn to chaos she is. Which means trouble for us.”  
Frank put out his hand and she walked across the room, her warm fingers lacing with his as he raised it to his lips and kissed her palm. Claire felt the shiver of electricity go up her spine at the feeling of his cold lip ring and settled comfortably onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they both stared into the fire. The vampire and his witch, a lethal combination that most had come to fear and avoid.  
“Gerard is captivated and more than a little amused. If he and Mikey decide they want to make a deal we may be wise to go along with it. Lily would be a very powerful weapon for the…opposing team.”  
Claire smiled a little at Frank’s description, noting the suit he usually wore had given way to beaten up jeans and a band shirt. Her favourite belt went with it, heavy and studded and she wondered if he had done that on purpose. He was a dominant man, had learned from the very best and Gerard considered him his favourite pupil. In Claire he had found his perfect submissive, powerful in her own right but completely his to command. The belt happened to be his favourite way to do it.  
“Lily won’t be controlled by either side. Did you tell him that ?”  
Frank nodded, he could always feel when his ex was nearby and knew that she would delight in triggering an all out war in the hope of profiting from the ruins. Lily had no qualms about letting other vampires destroy themselves for her entertainment and he wasn’t about to be dragged down that path. His face nuzzled into Claire’s neck, the warm blood so close to the surface of her skin called to him and he wondered for the millionth time why she had never asked him to turn her.  
“I told him. You know how Gerard is, he won’t be happy till he’s had her.”  
“I’m sure he will have her, just it sounds like Gates wants her too.”  
He grunted, nipping at her neck before Claire pulled his hair back and kissed him hard on the lips. She had no intention of letting Lily walk in and ruin everything and had spent several hours making her new protégé hunters do drills and mock fights before coming back home. It would not do to make things easy so she had layered protection over their heads in case Lily went looking for them.  
“All we can do is wait for the next move. Matt’s smart, he won’t be provoked into open war unless it’s absolutely necessary.”  
Frank’s words tailed away as she knelt before him, her head lowered. The pang of desire that tugged in his belly never failed to surprise him and he shifted a little so that he could admire her fully, the curve of her breasts under the tight corset top were enough to make him draw a breath in and he saw her smile a little. He leant forward, lifting her chin with one finger and regarded her. She was a beautiful woman, her full lips just begging him to kiss her or feed her his cock, her eyes dark in the flickering light of the fire.  
“Look at me.”  
Claire looked up into his eyes, never tired of staring at him even after all these years. He had enjoyed the changes in fashion, his pale skin now decorated with brightly inked patterns and she stared again at the rings through his nose and lip. Frank considered his options before simply standing and grabbing a handful of her hair, dragging Claire through the door and into his bedroom beyond. He lifted her up bodily, the strength of a vampire used in the most measured of ways as he laid her down and put his finger to her lips.  
“No moving, no talking.”  
Claire nodded once, knowing better than to break his rules as Frank pulled his shirt over his head. Her eyes wandered hungrily along the inked torso and down as his jeans followed his shirt onto the floor. Her desire always amused him and he waited with an impish grin to hear the gasp that always accompanied her seeing him naked before pointing to the floor at his feet. Claire rose immediately, her face flushed despite the warm room as she knelt again before him, this time face to face with him in all his glory.  
Frank smiled, his hand gently stroking her face before parting her lips with his thumb. She ran her tongue along it, the warmth making him supress a groan as he anticipated just how it would feel when he replaced that with his cock. As always Claire anticipated him, ready to make her man happy as he pulled her towards him by the hair. His sigh of almost relief made her smile again, gently licking him from balls to tip as he rolled his hips forward. She closed her eyes and relaxed, the taste against her tongue so sweet as he pushed his way into her mouth. Claire knew exactly how to please him, his hands clenching handfuls of her hair as she swirled her tongue around his thick shaft, letting him press against the back of her throat before pulling away almost to the point of losing him completely before he pulled her roughly back onto his cock. She had long ago learned to control her gag reflex and breath through her nose, the vampire tended to forget how strong he could be when he was so lost in enjoying himself.  
Frank loved using her this way, watching her perfect body shudder and her hands clasp behind her back until he commanded her to use them, the soft fingers playing with his balls and ass just added another layer of pleasure and he considered merely using her for this, denying her body anything else even though he knew she would be wet and willing by now, her nipples straining against the tight binding corset.  
She was well aware that he could do that, more than once he had cum down her throat and simply left with his familiar cheeky grin and promise to make it up to her. He never failed to keep that promise but she was grateful when it was clear that tonight would not be one of those nights. Instead he wrenched her away from his body and lifted her, the faint taste of himself on her lips as he kissed her was an aphrodisiac and still she carefully said nothing as he spun her around and pushed her down onto the bed. There were to be no pleasantries, he was still half thinking about the possible trouble they could be in as he threw her skirt up over her head and slammed the flat of his hand against her ass.   
“Now you can make a sound…”  
Frank grinned at the half moan, half squeak that escaped her as he soundly spanked both ass cheeks until the glowed red and her hands gripped the pure white sheets of his bed. He never let her bother with underwear, it would simply get in his way when he wanted her as he did now. Claire held her breath, waiting for either another slap or the feel of his cock in her dripping pussy. She loved how he used her, never failing to find it achingly erotic and her groan when he finally pushed deep inside her made eyes flutter closed. Frank enjoyed the sound and the gripping heat around him as he leisurely pulled back and then slammed his hips forward, his hands keeping a tight grip on her.   
The only sounds in the air were her harsh gasps and the slap of flesh on flesh as he pounded into her, letting himself edge towards climax before releasing his hold and letting his hands wander over her back and thighs. He knew that she wanted him to stroke her clit, let her cum with him, the dominant in him relishing making her wait, her cries getting ever more urgent until he felt the familiar burning in his stomach and tightening in his balls. Her pussy drenched the sheet under them as he finally let his fingers glide across her heated flesh and his fangs nipped at her back.  
“You won’t cum unless I say.”  
Claire half gritted her teeth, fighting with the sensation of both his fingers and rock hard cock pounding her g-spot. It was always so hard to last as long as he wanted, she knew he enjoyed her occasional failure but now she wanted to please him, her voice strained.  
“No Master.”  
“That’s my girl…”  
Frank watched her shudder under him, his fingers working her harder until he knew that she was almost at breaking point. He let himself build to the peak, his balls slamming against her ass until he knew there was no turning back and his gasped words were enough to release both of them.  
“Cum for me Claire, now !”  
Her eyes shot open and she cried out again as her body clenched and shivered around him, the deep orgasm ripping his from him so that he flooded into her body and both of them fell onto the deep bed, their heated body chilled by the cotton as the both rode it out, spent and exhausted. Sleep wasn’t something either of them needed although the heavy thick curtains were more of a necessity for Frank than Claire. Daylight remained a vampire’s enemy and the witch never bothered to go out in the day if it could be avoided. Claire half dozed, his arms tight around her waist as he found a soft blanket from the floor and wrapped it around them. He stroked her hair, his mind going back to their impending problem.  
“If there is a war we may be finally forced to deal with Lily.”  
Claire pondered this, her thoughts a little different to his.  
“That may be easier than you think.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is gonna get really kinky in places :)


	4. Chapter 4

“Again. This time watch your left side and don’t just think an attack will come from behind.”  
Kier landed hard on the floor, winded and pissed off before Will put his hand out with a smile and helped him back to his feet. The sounds of combat echoed through the small warehouse, Drew and Shane half sparring despite the taller man having his arm in a sling. Laurence was reading, his face a mask of concentration as Luke pounded the punchbag. Kier wiped the blood from his nose and looked at his friend and mentor with a smile.  
“I guess I earned that.”  
“You got complacent, you should all be dead.”  
Kier nodded, William had been furious and even more so when he found out that Claire was interfering. He trusted the witch about as much as he trusted any vampire and was well aware that her lover was undead. Their truce was uneasy but necessary as his boys had found out, thanks to Claire they had the name of this newcomer and now Laurence was doing some research.   
“They should be dead, you got slack Will.”  
Claire glided into the room, noting that all of them took a step back. They had come to both fear and respect her and Will didn’t argue that her training had sharpened them up considerably hence he had been going harder on them all. Kier was his star pupil and now there was the possibility of making this an actual fight rather than wholesale slaughter. He painted on a smile.  
“I was building up to this, you knew it would take a while and you said we’d be left alone.”  
“I didn’t expect Lily to show up and the boys are busy fighting amongst themselves for now. The war will come soon enough.”  
Claire noted that Kier was watching this interaction closely, a blade now in each hand as Laurence looked up from his book. They had been talking about going after Lily themselves, the annoyance at being caught out didn’t sit well with either of them. Claire could see it on their faces and smiled at the impatience of youth. Will caught the glance and folded his arms, he didn’t want to know what that was about.  
“So is this a social call ?”  
The witch smiled, William was smart and not likely to be fooled by bullshit. She had considered what would happen if he came up against Matt and his boys, the fight was likely to be even. Whether the kids were ready for that was debatable. She motioned over to Shane, looking at the sling and waving a small bottle in her hand.  
“Medical aid only tonight, I have plans. Come here Shane, one more day and that bandage can come off.”  
Drew winced, whatever the witch was feeding his lover had seen the terrible injury heal in less than a week. Shane had noted that he had almost all the feeling back in his fingers and managed to down the bitter liquid without the desire to vomit becoming overwhelming. Claire patted him on the face, he had green eyes like Zacky and….she stopped the thought, screwing Zacky was a stupid idea that had become a stupid reality and now she needed to concentrate. Her voice was a little sharp as she turned back to face Kier.  
“Whatever you’re thinking off, don’t. You can leave Lily to me and I have another mission for you. I need you to spy on someone.”  
Kier glanced at Will, knowing now that both Laurence and Luke were standing next to him. The other two fell in with them, a cohesive and now almost threatening unit. Claire smiled, slipping the bottle back into her coat and pulling out a picture. It was a nightclub on the west side, a place that was both exciting and the cause of a lot of death. Will stared at the photo and then back at Claire, her eyes wide and innocent as she stared back.  
“It belongs to Matt and his boys. So far you have managed to stay below their radar so you should be able to snoop around. No heroics, no stupidity. All I need to know is how many of the people in that club are vampires.”  
Kier raised his chin, he wasn’t about to walk in that place and just wander around, he knew just how much you could lose and felt Laurence stiffen behind him. They had turned to hunting after his best friend had lost his lover to a vampire, a loss that Laurence could still not get over. To walk among them would be hard enough for any of them, nearly impossible for him. Luke shifted the axe again and glanced at his friends.  
“They might decide we look tasty, I don’t want to die.”  
Kier nodded, looking again at the witch and wondering just what she wanted from them. Will had admitted that she had been watching over them and had pointed him to them. He would not be drawn on her motives, saying only that the young woman with the red hair and killer curves was no more mortal than a vampire. They could trust her to a degree but remember that. He was doubting that trust right now.  
“He has a point. If they want a fight we won’t just back down.”  
“They won’t even notice you, I can make you pass for vampire yourselves.”  
Now all eyes were on her and Claire giggled, it would be endlessly amusing to have them walk into that club and right up to Gates and Zacky without a worry. She had no intention of telling them that in itself would be dangerous. New vampires attracted attention and if Lily had decided to join that side then they could be sniffed out. It was a gamble but worth the risks to give Frank numbers and any vulnerable points in the enemy defences.  
“When ?”  
Shane’s voice was soft, he was a quiet man but probably the smartest of all of them. Claire admired his mind and smiled as she turned towards him. All of them looked considerably more comfortable with both weaponry and each other since she had found them six months before. Her eyes were drawn to the well muscled biceps on at least two of them before she dragged herself back to the matter at hand.  
“Tomorrow night. Johnny and Jimmy will no doubt be spying on the event that Gerard and Mikey are holding on the other side of town so that only leaves you with the other three to keep an eye on. Watch Zacky, he’s a mind reader and I can’t block that for you.”  
She handed them all flyers for the Halloween Ball to be held at Matt’s place and they huddled around the map, taking in the routes in and out of enemy territory. During daylight it was still somewhere where humanity could walk but at night only the foolhardy or unknowing went there. Some returned, some didn’t and it was only the size of the city that made the disappearances unnoticeable. Drew had been there once, drawn to all the bright lights and amazing looking men that went there, he now considered himself one of the fortunate ones. Laurence pointed towards one of the men in the pictures, his face pale and distraught.   
“That’s him. The one that killed….her.”  
“Synyster Gates. He doesn’t turn, he always kills. You will get your revenge but don’t blow this. You need the odds to be on your side.”  
Somehow Will’s words were cold comfort and Kier squeezed Laurence’s hand. His pal would never get over losing the auburn haired girl and being anywhere close to the vampire that had done the deed would be hard enough. That they couldn’t strike back was even worse. However it was progress. Claire looked at her watch, the plan that had been forming to rid herself of Lily was coming on nicely.  
“Why do you want to know this ?”  
“Any fighter should know the odds. Gerard has over one hundred vampires at his command.”  
Her words hung in the air as Claire pulled her coat around herself and walked back up the stairs that led outside. The underground hideout was actually in Gerard’s territory and she wondered for the thousandth time what Frank’s reaction to all this would be. It would no doubt merit the most delicious punishment.  
“Goodnight gentlemen.”  
Will sighed, those odds were not comforting as he knew that Matt would have equal if not more. All he had were five young and inexperienced vampire killers with a few more out of town that he could call on. Even Kier was humbled into silence, he was a brave man but that sounded impossible and for a moment skipping town seemed like a good option. Laurence gritted his teeth and went back to his book.  
“We can still do this.”  
“We can still die. Or be turned.”  
Drew shook his head, the reoccurring nightmare of being forced to stake any of his friends coming back to the fore. A sense of foreboding was settling on all of them to the point that Will picked up a nasty looking two headed pike and tossed it to the sandy haired boy with a grim smile.  
“Better keep practising.”


	5. Chapter 5

The sounds of the party were still pounding in the distance and Syn half listened, half concentrated on smoking his cigarette while pondering if he should get up and go back down there. The smoke curled lazily towards the ceiling, the bed still warm and comfortable as he thought back through the evening. That caused him to look down at the woman sleeping across his chest, her dark hair falling across her face. His fingers alighted on the bruises that had formed on the pale skin, Lily barely stirring.  
He had been hunting in the park, not really hungry but knowing that the party would take up most of his evening. He had been thinking about heading over to spy on the opposition and had wandered through there when a voice behind him had caused him to look back and there she was. Lily looked shaken, immediately throwing her arms around him and telling him that five vampire hunters had nearly taken her out. Syn hadn’t thought about it, sweeping her up into his arms and back to the club. Matt had been less than impressed but Syn went his own way and soon they were naked and in his bed.  
Syn half smiled at the memory, she had been everything he had imagined and more. The taste of her blood on his lips and the glow in his stomach at the memory of her riding him, head thrown back in pure lust was enough to make him want another round but he knew that sooner or later one of his friends would bang on the door. The party was important, the one across town equally so.  
“I gotta go to work, you staying here ?”  
Lily opened one eye, admiring his body down to where the crumpled sheets covered his hips. The act had been necessary, she had been watching and while he had a brutal and violent side, he was essentially a decent guy. Loyal to his friends, a gentleman born before the American Revolution who still liked a damsel in distress to rescue. Syn was an animal in bed and now she had no intention of leaving for the present.  
“If you want, I don’t have anywhere in particular to go.”  
Syn smiled lifting her chin to kiss her, gently at first but soon a longer and deeper kiss that started hands wandering before he finally pulled away with a chuckle. Lily took the cigarette from his fingers and watched as he sauntered into the small bathroom to wash. Every inch of him was pure muscle, the ink flowing over his skin in waves. She liked how his hair curled slightly at the ends despite him styling it up into a series of spikes. She pulled the sheets up around herself and listened to the muted sounds below.  
“What are you working on exactly ?”  
Syn enjoyed the cold water on his skin, leaning back so he could see her watching him, the sheet barely hiding her full breasts. He could still see the marks of his teeth on her neck and liked the idea of owning such a beautiful thing. He knew however that talking about the gang’s business to anyone was a no, didn’t matter how hard they made you cum.  
“Just keeping an eye on the other side of town. They will no doubt be doing the same.”  
Lily said nothing, she had carefully dropped it into the conversation that she knew the witch and Frank. Her subtle retelling of the story had leant itself to his belief that she would work with him and indeed Lily would, to annoy Frank if nothing else. He strode back into the room, pulling on his shirt and leaning down to kiss her again with a smile. Lily watched the door close and sank back into the bed, thinking on her next move.  
Syn trotted back down the stairs and into the crowds. Most were human, some vampire like himself and all of them were drawn to the centre of the room where Matt was standing. The big man was talking business with his captains, Jimmy by his shoulder as usual as Zacky leant against the bar, watchful and impatient. That there would be an open war was looking extremely likely, three vampires were complaining loudly that Way’s cronies had stopped them hunting on the east side, something they had done for centuries. Syn bypassed that and headed for the end of the bar.  
“Johnny, if you’re gonna keep a pet at least feed the kid. Bite the fucking gnome Arin, he probably tastes good.”  
Johnny grinned, the teasing was now second nature and he knew that if it came to a fight Gates would have his back. Syn smirked back, his pal looked like a cute puppy, a short man with boyish features and a ready smile that hid the psychopath within. Johnny was unpredictable and Gates liked to wind him up tight before pointing him at the enemy. Currently Johnny was holding only a drink and a thin metal chain that led to the collar of an impossibly young looking man. He was pretty, his hair a mass of dark curls around an elfin face that now rested against Johnny’s. Arin was a shapeshifter, a wolf when required that could rip a vampire in half. Both Johnny’s pet and his secret weapon.  
“Matt was asking for you. Me and Jimbo are gonna go over to the other party soon.”  
“Ok, you going too Arin ?”  
The boy smiled and shook his head, he rarely spoke much although he was comfortable enough among his master’s friends. Syn left them there, locking eyes with Matt who beckoned him over and grabbed him into a hug. The other vampires melted away leaving the four best friends to talk. Zacky frowned at the images in Syn’s head, something was warning him that Lily was not to be trusted and the mention of Claire’s name rang alarm bells. He kept his council as Jimmy clapped Syn on the shoulder.  
“Your new conquest any good ?”  
“Outstanding actually. We on for tonight ?”  
Matt nodded, his face cracking into a smile at the smug look his buddy was giving Jimmy. He was reserving judgement and was more interested in scoping out Way’s latest party. The other side of town contained some good resources and the news that there was a new and proficient pack of hunters in town made it more important that he got then. He knew Gerard would be well aware that Jimmy and Johnny were on a scouting mission but politeness would stop him from interfering. There was a distinct possibility that the younger Way brother would show up here and that was why he was keeping Gates close.  
“Get them talking, I want to know what they are up to and what Frank has his witch doing.”  
Jimmy nodded, the normal sunny expression missing from his face.  
“We should take that one out.”  
“We will when the time is right. I want to make sure it doesn’t come to open war. That will do nobody any good. The humans will run and we don’t want to have to relocate.”  
Syn nodded, distracted by Lily walking through the crowds towards them. Matt nodded to her, enjoying taking her in as she glanced at Zacky before accepting Syn’s hand. The vampire didn’t like that he was being blocked and she enjoyed the glint of the rings through his lip as he pouted slightly. Jimmy kissed her hand, the dress she wore displayed ample cleavage.  
“If you want to remove Claire I can help with that.”  
Matt raised an eyebrow, passing her a glass of champagne as the party continued around them. Lily liked it in the club, the mix of new and old had been done tastefully and there was a decadence to the place that appealed to her. So many fine men in one place and all of them surrounded by sweet smelling humans. Lily was hungry after all the hour of lovemaking and wanted to hunt before she pulled Syn back upstairs.  
“Why would you do that ?”  
“We go back a long way and she won’t hesitate to come after me. Self preservation is a strong emotion don’t you think ?”  
Zacky flinched, an image in his head that she had sent his way showed the two women screaming and throwing things at each other while a town burned behind them. If Matt wanted to avoid all out war then this was hardly the way to ensure it. Syn wrapped his arms around Lily’s waist, another reason added to his list for why they needed to remove the opposition. Johnny appeared at Jimmy’s shoulder and the two men left, Arin slinking to the bar to wait for his master to return. Matt turned his attention back to Lily and nodded slowly.  
“Maybe we can work something out when the boys return. You boys watch the floor, I need to go talk to Crilly.”  
Matt disappeared towards the back office, Crilly ran guns and drugs for both the human and vampire clientele of both sides of town. He retained his neutrality although Zacky wasn’t convinced that he didn’t help hunters too. He was annoyed at Syn, barely grunting a goodbye before heading into the crowds. There was something he badly needed to do and none of them needed to see him leave. Syn himself was amused at his buddy being so grumpy and apologetically kissed Lily before pulling away.  
“I gotta work.”  
She pouted before a flash of red hair caught her eye and she realised that the spy that Matt had been expecting was not from the opposition he expected. Claire had been clever, if Lily hadn’t recognised Kier he could have passed for a vampire and so could his friends. It was interesting and she kissed Syn a little harder, wanting to follow the attractive boy before going back to her lovers bed.  
“Happy hunting, I’ll be waiting for you.”  
Syn smirked and left Lily to wander after the disguised hunters. They were clearly nervous although hiding it well and she kept out of sight. Again the redhead called to her, a sly plan forming in her head as she watched them taking stocks of the numbers of dead, undead and others in the place. She had been intrigued by Arin, shapeshifters were rare and one that was devoted to a vampire even more so. She wanted to talk to him but first she had determined to get a pet of her own. Kier and Laurence had split up from Luke and Drew, only Shane appeared to be missing and she followed behind until Laurence crept upstairs towards the rooms above and Kier headed alone down to the kitchen.  
He really had made it so very easy….


	6. Chapter 6

Zacky smoked enough to calm down as he headed down to the docks. It was neutral ground and one that he kept an eye on personally. All manner of creatures, dead, undead and otherwise came through and not all were just visiting. He knew that Mikey was often here and had enjoyed more than one conversation with him, he was of the same mind as Matt that while war might be inevitable it was not to be encouraged. Tonight however he merely nodded to some friends, his cap pulled down over his black hair as he made his way to one of the warehouses that shadowed the causeway and inky water.  
“If you’re thinking about continuing your personal war, don’t.”  
Claire turned and was about to respond but he was too quick, both his hands locking onto her arms and his lips locking on hers as a moan escaped her. This thing had escalated for both of them so fast and now she almost forgot Frank, forgot Lily and the battle plan as Zacky reclaimed her. It lasted long glorious seconds before she pulled away breathlessly.  
“She will even if I don’t. Has she found her way into Syn’s bed already ?”  
“He’s loving it.”  
Claire hid her grin against his chest. It was inevitable that Lily would aim for the prettiest face first and she knew that Zacky was right, the peace that they had brokered was fragile enough. It would be better to end things quickly with her former friend before they ripped everything to pieces. Zacky enjoyed holding her, there were times when neither could get away and it had been weeks. He rested his cheek on her hair and breathed her in.  
“She showed me you and her fighting, a city burning behind you.”  
Her answer was muffled, her arms tightening around her as the images went through Claire’s brain. Not one of their finer battles but typical that it would be the one that Lily would choose to share with him. Claire could see that the battle lines had been drawn and wondered if she had taken the bait with red hair yet.  
“Prague, 1810 I think it was. Frank and Gerard were in New York or somewhere and we happened to bump into each other in a bar. We’d both been drinking and one thing lead to another.”  
Zacky giggled, pulling away so he could look at her properly. Claire retained the very English droll wit that had been inbuilt so many centuries before. He considered whether taking her up against the wall would be rude before contenting himself with running his fingers through her hair and down her cheek.  
“As much as I would like to see that just for the nudity, we need to maintain what we have going here or both sides will end up dust.”  
“Then I will deal with Lily before that happens. Trust me.”  
Claire winked up at him and kissed his lips, her tongue gliding over the snakebites. She had a good thing going, two men that adored her in fact and intended to keep it that way. In an ideal world the two sides might even be persuaded to join forces. She had often wondered if they could take the entire city if so many egos could be forced to work together. Her thoughts were interrupted by a ringing from her pocket and Claire retrieved the phone as Zacky slid his arms back around her waist, his amazing green eyes watching her closely.  
“Kier, now is not a good time.”  
“Nice try Claire but tainting his blood won’t work. You nearly killed me once but I learn really fast.”  
Claire smiled a little, it had been an outside shot and she had been hoping that Kier would come out of it unscathed. Zacky blinked, his grip tightening on her a little as he realised that she had already been playing little games without involving either him or Frank. He had figured out she was involved in keeping the latest pack of hunters alive and understood why but this annoyed him.  
“So let the kid go.”  
Lily smirked, her grip around Kier’s neck tightening a little as he squirmed. He was confused, not understanding what the vampire had meant but worried that it wouldn’t stop his neck getting broken. He kept staring at the kitchen door, hoping with everything he had that Laurence or one of the others would come through it and make this fight a little more even.  
“But he’s so pretty. I think I might keep him. Have a nice night Claire.”  
The connection was broken and Claire found the phone was quickly removed from her hand. Zacky checked through the other numbers as she held her breath. His temper was different from Frank’s but neither liked being messed around. He was now holding onto her hair fairly tightly and she felt the first shiver of excitement.  
“Dealing with Lily huh ?”  
Claire let her eyes drop, her back now up against the harsh brick wall as Zacky decided that a lesson might be in order. The only sound was their breathing, the port noises in the distance as he pinned her there easily with his bodyweight. Whether her hunters lived or died was not his concern but he didn’t want the more experienced ones being dragged into this and adding to the danger.   
“Let her have the boy if that’s what she wants. Zacky, please…”  
“Fine but keep your war away from mine.”  
Words escaped both of them, the urgency of touch and taste had become far more important and long minutes passed as they enjoyed reacquainting themselves with each other. He found that he didn’t want her this way, it would be too brief and too rushed to satisfy the urgent need he had to use her. Claire blinked as he pulled away and kissed her forehead.  
“Can you get away to mine later ?”  
“Maybe, Frank and Gee will be busy all night. How about you ?”  
Zacky checked his phone, several missed calls and a couple of texts from Matt told him that he was needed and it would take a while to figure out what was going on with Gates. He still intended to get his best friend away from Lily and her fight with Claire, a devious thought crossing his mind.   
“I got business. You said to me that Gee was interested in Lily too ?”  
Claire narrowed her eyes, she knew that he would find it fair game to point Lily at Gerard and therefore transfer the problem back to front. In a way it would suit them all if Lily did occupy herself with Kier. Laurence or one of the others might get lucky. She straightened her skirt, determined to get away to Zacky’s house later in the evening.  
“He’s as bad as Syn. You think he would give her up to Gee ?”  
“Hard to say, I have to go but be at mine for one.”  
Zacky crushed her lips with his own, Claire moaning both at the command and his body pressed against hers before he let her go and headed quickly for the door of the warehouse. She waited till he had left before heading out and back up towards the park and the centre of the city. The night had become slightly misted with rain and she could feel the vampires and various creatures moving around in the dark. So much so that she missed the footsteps until they fell in beside her and she glanced up at the tall figure.  
“Good evening Mikey.”  
“Claire, Frank was worried. Lot of interesting things happening tonight.”  
She had always thought that the softly spoken young man was the more dangerous of the two Way boys. His hair was currently cropped quite short and dark, the resemblance to his brother more obvious. That Frank would have sent him to find her was both comforting and a little disconcerting.  
“What things ?”  
Mikey hesitated, he both liked Claire and enjoyed her company but was well aware that she kept some fairly close ties with the other side of town. He and Gerard watched, allowing Frank to keep that side of things under control but none of them liked it when she disappeared and all of them watched her pet hunters.  
“There were spies at the party of course and we heard back from yours that one of their number had gone….missing. Know anything about that ?”  
“Lily wanted a pet and I had been feeding him a little tincture of nightshade in the hope she might bite him a little too hard. She never could resist a man with good cheekbones.”  
Claire made a point of nodding her head towards him and Mikey cracked a rare smile. He was not as susceptible to a pretty face as his brother but had been intrigued by what Frank had told him about Claire and Lily’s past and his own.  
“So we have a new vampire in town.”  
Claire shrugged and linked arms with Mikey, the two of them blending in as the first hint of heavy rain swept in. The park had begun to empty of both the living and the undead, a sign of harsh weather and the first salvos of war.


End file.
